It is important to attend live concerts

Attending live concerts has the obvious benefit of supporting the musicians who are performing and helping to assure that they will continue to offer the kind of entertainment we enjoy. However, did you know that there are actual health and educational benefits that can be derived from attending live concerts?

John Logan, a civil war soldier, famously said that music is the medicine of the mind. It is safe to say that he was not referring to recorded music. Unlike recorded music, attending a concert is a communal event that connects you with other concert goers and provides a sense of community that is good for your mental outlook. We all feel better when we are connected to other like minded people. There is a palpable energy present when you are surrounded by people who share your interests and that can be very invigorating.

Live concerts are good for you because they improve your mood. Medically speaking, being at a concert decreases your production of stress hormones, and reduces your blood pressure and respiratory rate (Dr. Nirav Mehta, Cardiologist). In addition your brain releases endorphins which then has an analgesic effect, offering pain relief (Dr. Steven Eisenberg, Encologist, “the singing doctor”).

Psychologically speaking, being happy is good for your health and concerts tend to bring people joy. Musicians are often viewed as idols, or role models, and when you get to see them in person the experience can make you feel happy, which is really good for you.

As a student, one of the best ways to learn to become a performer is to attend live concerts and to really study the art of performance. Listening to recorded music and even watching videos cannot come close to the experience of being there in terms of this aspect of your music education.

We’ve talked a great deal about preparing for your recital or other performances. All of the information we have shared is vital to your readiness. However, live performance is an interaction involving you and your audience and a lot can be learned from just watching how it is done.

We know that the performers whose concerts you attend make it all look very easy and very natural. However getting to that point was not effortless. It is important to take a moment to focus on this. Many hours, days, weeks, months, years and often decades were spent getting the performer to the point at which you are enjoying them.

It is important to realize that attending live concerts does not have to be limited to the big name bands. Please consider expanding your musical horizons and saving a great deal of ticket money by going local for at least some of your musical events. Check out the smaller venues in your town. Regardless of your favorite genres, you might be very pleasantly surprised by what you find.